Detachable top piece for the heels of boots and shoes.



No. 826,031. PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

I P. Y. HARRISON & R. H. SOUTHALL. v DET'AGHABLE TOP PIECE FOR THE. HEELS 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1905.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 826,031. PATENTED JULY 17 1906:

P. Y. HARRISON & R. H. SOUTHALL.

DETAGHABLE TOP PIECE FOR THE HEELS OP BOOTS AND" SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1905.

. a SHEETSESHBET 2.

, PATENTED JULY 17, 1906 P. Y. HARRISON & R H. SOUTHALL. v DETAQHABLB TOPYPIEGE FOR THE-HEELS 0F BOOTS AND SHOES,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

PERCY YATES HARRISON, OF BRADFORD, AND ROBERT HEAP SOUTHALL, 0F LEEDS, ENGLAND.

DETACHABLE TOP PIECE FQR THE HEELS Q3 BQOTS AND SHQES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented. July 17, 1906.

Application filed September El), 1905. Serial No. 279,292.

ing is a specification.

This invention relates to im rove'ments in the attaching parts by which etachable top pieces or lifts for the heels of boots and shoes are held in position.

The object of this invention is to provide means for securely attaching and readily detaching the top lift to and from the main or 'major portion of the heel of a boot or shoe,

vided with a number of interlocking triangle lar or equivalent projections, to be hereinafter particularly described, with or without additional stops, adapted to hold them together. The said projections are always so cut. shaped, and formedthat when the two plates are locked together the projections of either of them shall lie within the thickness of the other-plate. The plates are shapedwhen a fixed-f-that is, a non-revolubletop piece is requiredof the same contour as that of the heel; but when a revolvin heel is requiredthat is, a top piece that wi l automaticall revolve on the stationary main portion 0 the heel-then they are made circular. The plates are when a fixed top piece is used attached to their respective parts by a number of nailsor screws or spikes; but in the case of a revolving heel the plate that is attached to the main portion of the heel is retained in position ply, say, a central screw, and the wearin -su ace of the top lift isattached to its p ates by a number of nails or screws or spikes in the same way as for the fixed top piece. The wearing-surface of the top piece, hereinafter termed the treadsurface, is formed of one or more layers of ted-line E tion on dotted line G H, Fig. 4 Fig. 7, 'aplan combination of two or more of them. Each layer 18 composed of one or more pieces of the said material or materials, and when required, but not necessarily so, a metal or other'wearing-surface may be fixed on or to the outer layer of the tread-surface. The tread-surface after bein fixed to the plate is pared to the contour'or the latter, which is made to act as a templet for the same.

. By the use of the hereinbefore-mentioned plates no recesses are required to he made in either of the-portions of the heel. The plates automatically secure themselves in position and cannot be separated without the use of a tool or small lever. The upper plates may he made interchangeable, so that they can be worn upon either heel at pleasure and attached or detached without necessitating the removal of any screw. The plates may also be'sold separately in pairs to boot-repairers and others.

In the drawings hereunto annexed the method of carrying the invention into practice is shown.

Figure 1 is a plan of a plate suitable for fixing to the main ortion of the heel with a slightly-modified iorm of triangularly-shap ed 1 leather, or gutta-percha, or india-rubber, or a interlocking devices; Fi 2, a lon itudlnal vices adap ted to,mesh with the plate shown at Fig. 1 .5, a lon itudinal section on dot- Fig. 4; ig. 6, a transverse secof the two plates shown at Fi s. 1 and 4 with the interlocking parts 'meshe together; Fi

8, a lon 'tudinal section on dotted line I Fig. 7; i%. 9, a transverse section on dotted line K L ig.. 7, with main portion of the heel and its detachable top piece shown in dotted lines; Fi 10, an enlarged transverse section on dotte line M N, Fig. 7 Fig. 11, a side elevation of heel with a revolvin top piece applied; Fig. 12, a plan of same; ig. 13, a lan showing a further modified form of inter ocking device; Fig. 14, an enlarged plan of triangularly-sha ed interlocking device ;Fig. 15,

an enlarged p an of two plates interlocked together with detaching-tool inserted F1 16, a sectional elevation of the same on line N,

' or two, as shown in the drawin s, or more may be formed of one or more pieces.

'that is to say, the main portion a maybe more layers or lifts of leather or indie-rubber or a combination of them. When the main several pieces should be fairly accuratel fit- Fig. 15; Fig. 17, an enlarged elevation of a heel-plate with chamfered'interlocking projections.

Like arts in all the views are marked with similar etters-of reference. I

a is the main portion of the heelthat is, its major portion without a top layer or lift 12 the detachable top piece, and 0 portions of the lasted boot-up er. The main portion a and the detachab e top piece I) are each formed of one or more layers or lifts of any suitable material--such as, for example, say, of leather, or india-rubber, or wood or metal with or without an outer covering of leather, or a combination of two or more of themformed or made wholly of wood covered with leather, as is frequently the case in ladies boots, provided with Louis or Wiirtemberg or other high and underset heels or of 'one or portion is made in layers or lifts, as shown in the drawings, they may be cut, arranged, and attached to the lasted boot-u per in the ordinary way and by the usua means. The top piece I) is formed of a number-say. one

of layers or lifts of leather, or India-rubber, or gutta-percha, or wood, or a combination of two or more of them. Each layer or lift When more than one piece is usedin a layer, the

ted "together. The last-named metho enables what has hitherto been waste pieces of sole-leather to be used for the wearing-tread of the heel. This also facilitates the removal of old and worn material and enables it to be replaced with new material. When required, but not necessarily so, a metalor other Wearing-tip of any suitable or ordinary construction may be applied to and combined with the top piece I).

e fare two plates of exactly the same size, and they are made of any suitable metal-- such as, say,light sheet-steel of, say, about twenty-four wire ga e, provided with interlocking devices, to e presently described. The said two plates are respectivel fixed to the main portion a and the detac able top piece I) for attachin them together. The shape of the plate is etermined by the character of the top piece b, whether it is to be a fixed or revolving one. If a fixed top piece 1s required, then the plates are shaped as shown, for example, say, at Figs. 1, 4 7, and 13, to the contour of the heel, and they are made to entirely cover its flat surface; but when the'top iece is required to be capable of automatica 1y revolving then the plates are made circular, as shown at Fi s. 11 and 12, and theydo not entirely cover t eflat surface of the heel. In the case of heels with fixed top pieces the plates are secured. re-

spectively, to the flat surface of the main portion a and detachable top piece by nails or screws arran ed to pass through the counter-- sunk holes 9% or by spikes formed on one of the surfaces of each plate; but in the case of heels with revolving top pieces the plate eis secured to the main portion a by a central screw t', the plate e being countersunk to receive the head of the screw, while the plate f is secured to its top piece by nails or screws passing through countersunk holes h or by spikes arranged upon one of its surfaces.

The plates 6 and f are made in dies of ordinary construction, and the interlocking parts,

stops, and projections may be pressed or formed out of the main portion of each plate.

The plates, if required, but not necessarily so, are afterward tempered by any ordinary means. The platesare'made flat, with the interlocking projecting portions of the parts of one. plate arran ed to be inclosed within the thickness of the second late, so as to avoid having to form a recess or their reception in either the mainportion a or the detachable' top piece I).

The interlocking device for securing the .two plates e f together consists of formmg a number of triangular or equivalent shaped projections 7' 70, respectively, out of the said two plates. The projections j k are respectively turned up or bent down to the required shape to serve as fingers or hooks, and they are made to mesh to ether. The projections 7' 7c are made triangu ar-shaped, as shown, so that the incline-faces when they come into contact with one another may'ten'd-to draw together and tighten the one upon the other, thus obtaining a very secure hold. Moreover, the inclined faces of the engaging parts of that late which is fixed to the mam ortion a of the heel are disposed on that si e of the fingenor hook which is turned away from the centerline of the plate, whereas in the plate attached to the detachable top'piece b the inclined faces of the fin ers or hooks are disposed on the sides whic are turned toward the center line. Thus the draw of the en aging parts tends tocompress the plate WhlOh is attached to the main part a of the heel and to expand the plate which is attached to the detachable top piece 12. As the main art a of the heel is practicall incompressihle, while the detachable part has a certain elasticity, the efiect of this drawing action is to flatten the top piece upon the heel and so to secure close-contact of the two sixty degrees to the Each of the projections k'is formedb removin a portion of each plate, where y akind 0% triangular-shaped hole or slot is ro vided. The sides or boundaries of t ese holes or slots consist of two longitudinal parts 1 2, Fig. 4, of different lengths, and a transverse part 3, which unites the two together. The .two longitudinal parts 1 2 are also united to ether by an inclined lip, curved as shown in i s. 4 and 14, which overhangs the dotted me plate 6 and slightly downward for plate f to form hook or finger rojections 7 k. The dotted line Z m, alrea y referred to, inclines at or about an a" le of from forty-five to Tongitudinal center line of the late. The projectlons 1",Fig. 17, maybe slig tly chamfered (but not necessarily so) on their under surfaces and the rojections k on their upper surfaces to ena le them to more readily mesh together. A convenient method of setting out the said slots and projections is in the form of a rectangle-say, for example, but not, necessarily so, nine-sixteenths by three-sixteenths of an inch. This will permit of the lengths of partsl 2 being respectively nine-sixteenths and three-sixteenths of an inch and the art 3, as'shown, say, five-sixteenths. If a fine be drawn, as shown in dots at l m, Fig. 4, between the points 5 6 and the curves put in when the projections j k are turned, respectively,' up and down, it will be found that inclines are formed at the required angles that will securely draw and hold the two plates together when in use. When the projections y k are meshed together, as the portions of the-respe'ctive inclines work upon the part 2 of,

each slot they draw the plates securely together. Q

The number of projections 7' k may be varied; but for general purposes six, as shown at Fi s. 1 and 7, or four, as shown at Fi 12, will seen on reference to the drawings that the recesses and interlocking projections may be. advantageously arranged in and on each plate in pairs and on opposite sides of its longitudinal center with their inclines also arranged in opposite directionsthat is, to incline away from the longitudinal center to the perimeter of the plate on each side of said center.

A projection n or flat spring with a horizontal face is formed out of the main ortion of the plate e ata suitable distance from, say, its rear, and it is made to engage with a slot 0 in the plate One or moresay twopins p g or projections of the same thickness as the platef are provided when required at or near the breast of the plate e and adapted to enter holes 1" s, formedfor their reception in the plate The pins p q are also inclined at the rear to enable the plates to more readily mesh together. The pins p q and projecm and is turned slightly upward for e found to be sufiicient. It Wll be.

dotted lines at '0, Figs. 15. and 16, in order that it may be readily distinguished from the essential features of the invention) for raising the plates clear of the pins p q and forcing them backward until the projections 7c are clear of each other. .The point of the separating-tool is made to enter the elongated hole w in the plate e or to bear against a ridge thereonto obtain a leverage for raising the platef sufliciently high to clear the pins p q and for pressing the latter plate and the treadsurface in a rearwardly direction.

Theuse of this invention enables what are usually waste pieces of materialto be utilized, inasmuch as the removable plate can-be surfaced with small pieces of leather placed, say, side by side. case of fixed heels one portion of the treadsurface becomes worn it can be readily removed and replaced with new material without displacing the other portion or portions.

To enable this to be accomplished, the plate I V i i f has its holes h. arranged in rows, as shown at Figs. 4, 7, and-13.

Further, if, say, in the On reference to Figs. 11 and 12 it will be 7 i seen that with the exception of the plates be- 1 ing circular instead of externally somewhat resembling a horseshoe, as at Figs. 1 and '51, they are identically the same as regards interlockin;

stops. our interlocking devices are shown,

slightly diflerently arranged asregards posiv 1 no tibn on the plates, but still in'pairs and on opposite sides of thecenter; QThe, means required for securing the top piece or lift to its heel and also the firstnamed .plate to the main portion of the heel maybe varied acv cording to the material of which such parts are made. plates which come in contact with the said parts when so required may be-provided with projections or tongues formed out of the plates or attached thereto for causing them If so desired, the surfaces of such devices, pins, or projections, and v more readily to be secured to the said plates.-

The action of the plates is as followsi The plate 6 having been fixed or revolubly attached to the flat surface of the main portion a of the heel and the plate f fixed to the under side of the detachable heel-piece and the layers of the latter pared to the shape of'the plate, the two plates are then placedone upon the other, with the p ojections j k in a position to interlock wit each other; As

' each slotted portion of the plates.

longitudinal sliding action thus draws the the plate 14 is pressed longitudinally forward toward t e breast of the heel'the inclines formed by turning the said projections respectively upward and downward are made to work against the longitudinal parts 2 of The said plates laterally outward, thereby forcin "the projections 7c under the projections hen the breast of plate 7' has passed over the pins 19 q, the horizontal face of the projection n will have come into contact with the" horizontal portion of the slot 0 in plate f, thus providingmeans for preventing the plates sliding in a rearwardly longitudinal direction when in use. The natural spring of .the plates prevents them from working free of the pins p q and holes 1" .9 until released by the insertion of a separating-tool at o, as previ ously described. When the tread-surface becomes worn on the two plates being sepaconsiderably to the life o the tread-surface 0f the detachable portion of fixed heels.

-When their tread-surfaces become worn at one part, the may be changed onto the heel of the other oot, thereby presenting a new wearing-surface; Further, little or no skill is required to remove an old and worn'treadsurface from the plate and refixa new one without necessarily ta ing them to a bootrepairer.

We are. aware that prior to our invention the heels have been attached to the soles and detachable .top pieces have been attached to the main portion of boot and shoe heels by means of two plates arranged to mesh and to interlock together by means of hooks and 1 loops or longitudinal projections; but to such we make no claim, except when constructed substantially as herein described and illustrated; but

What we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. The combination of a plate having slots and triangular inclined projections cut. and formed thereon and arranged in pairs at opposite portions of the plate, of a second similarly-shaped plate having correspondinglyshaped slots and projections adapted to mesh with the slots and projections of the first plate for holding the plates to ether, said slots and projections being capable of interlocking within the thickness of the two plates,

ahorizontally-faced projection formed on one j plate adapted to fit into a recess formed on the second plate or preventing any longitudinal movement of the said plates when their projections are interlocked together, and means consisting of pins in one plate and holes in the other plate for preventing the displacement of the plates relatively to one another when in use.

2. The combination with a boot-heel permanentl connected to the boot, of two plates 0 the same size and contour ada ted to slide one upon the other, each of the p ates being provided with slots and triangular in clined projections arranged in pairs at opposite portions of each late, said slots and projections being capab e of interlocking within the thickness of the two plates with each other for holding the plates to ether, one of the said plates being also provi ed at or near its rear with a horizontally-faced projection and with means consisting of pins at ornear its breast, said projection and pins being adapted to en age with holes formed for their reception in t e second plate for preventing 4 the displacement of the plates relatively to one another when in use, all constructed and arranged substantially asherein described and as illustrated in the accompanying draw- 1n s.

n testimony whereof we have signed our names, to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses WILLIAM SADLER, ANNIE PARK. 

